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Jillian Ir
The car seat you get with the travel system, is that going to last and turn into a seat you can use as your baby grows or is that only an infant seat? I am a first time mother and am trying to get everything I need, but this one has kind of stumped me.
Can I covertible carseat be used as a rear facing infant seat?
Answer
The seat that comes with a stroller is an infant only, rear facing only seat. Most infants outgrow their infant seat at 4-6 months, as most only go to 20-22lbs. and 26inches or so. The only one that is bigger is the Graco SafeSeat Step 1. Its made to hold up to 30lbs. They claim that 97% of infants will fit in the seat until their 1st birthday. A convertible car seat will do both rear and front facing. You 'convert' it front facing when the baby has reaches the limits for rear facing. NOTE: Keep babies rear facing AS LONG AS POSSIBLE!! Not just to 20lbs/1year. That is the bare minimum for when you can. Their bones are too fragile to properly withstand crash forces, and rear facing is the safest position.
The infant carriers are convenient, but quite frankly, a sling is a heck of a lot more convenient, and slings like the Maya wraps (and lots of look alikes) can be used in 4-5 different ways up to 40lbs! I HATE seeing babies constantly put in their carriers. Babies were meant to be held, not put in seats all the time. Also, infant car seats were meant to be used in the car or stroller - not everywhere else. Even the manual usually states: 'not for use in the house, boat, or anywhere else besides a passenger vehicle'. So, if you use them correctly, they really aren't all that convenient. I mean, have you ever tried carrying around a 15lbs baby in a carrier? UGH! Painful. A sling is easier and allows your hands to be free (much better for grocery shopping, dining, etc. you name it!) Also, babies like it better.
You don't have to have an infant carrier. Depending upon the size of your baby, you could put him straight into a convertible. If you're going to do that, spring for a convertible that has the infant padding in it, otherwise it may not work. That should be fine as long as baby is 5lbs or over. If you're really looking to cut costs, I'd cut the infant seat out of your shopping plan. You'll have to get a convertible when he outgrows the infant seat anyways, so an infant is an extra. The best convertibles are ones with high harness slots and high weight limits both rear and front facing. Here's some to look at:
Fisher Price Safe Voyage, up to 33lbs rear facing, up to 55lbs forward facing, 17" top slots. Made by Britax, without the bells and whistles at a fraction of the cost! $130
Britax Marathon/Decathalon/Boulevard: all 3 same shell, up to 33lbs rear facing, up to 65lbs front facing, 17" top slots. Decathalon and Boulevard have the infant cushioning. Britax seats have built-in lockoffs so you never have to use a locking clip again! Wide belt paths make it easier to use, too. Many seats can cut and scrape your hands when you try and install them. They sound expensive, but they last longer than most other convertibles. $269 and up
Sunshine Kids Radian65 and Radian80. Both rear face to 33lbs, front face to 65lbs/80lbs. Top slots 18". GREAT seat if it fits in your car. $199, I believe. Lasts a LONG time, saves on buying other seats.
So, if you're looking to save money, actually skip Walmart, they're seats won't hold many kids long enough because of low weight limits and low harness slots. If you've got a tiny child, it'd be ok, but for average or big kids it won't work. Kids should be harnessed AS LONG AS POSSIBLE! No 4-year-olds in boosters, please!
The seat that comes with a stroller is an infant only, rear facing only seat. Most infants outgrow their infant seat at 4-6 months, as most only go to 20-22lbs. and 26inches or so. The only one that is bigger is the Graco SafeSeat Step 1. Its made to hold up to 30lbs. They claim that 97% of infants will fit in the seat until their 1st birthday. A convertible car seat will do both rear and front facing. You 'convert' it front facing when the baby has reaches the limits for rear facing. NOTE: Keep babies rear facing AS LONG AS POSSIBLE!! Not just to 20lbs/1year. That is the bare minimum for when you can. Their bones are too fragile to properly withstand crash forces, and rear facing is the safest position.
The infant carriers are convenient, but quite frankly, a sling is a heck of a lot more convenient, and slings like the Maya wraps (and lots of look alikes) can be used in 4-5 different ways up to 40lbs! I HATE seeing babies constantly put in their carriers. Babies were meant to be held, not put in seats all the time. Also, infant car seats were meant to be used in the car or stroller - not everywhere else. Even the manual usually states: 'not for use in the house, boat, or anywhere else besides a passenger vehicle'. So, if you use them correctly, they really aren't all that convenient. I mean, have you ever tried carrying around a 15lbs baby in a carrier? UGH! Painful. A sling is easier and allows your hands to be free (much better for grocery shopping, dining, etc. you name it!) Also, babies like it better.
You don't have to have an infant carrier. Depending upon the size of your baby, you could put him straight into a convertible. If you're going to do that, spring for a convertible that has the infant padding in it, otherwise it may not work. That should be fine as long as baby is 5lbs or over. If you're really looking to cut costs, I'd cut the infant seat out of your shopping plan. You'll have to get a convertible when he outgrows the infant seat anyways, so an infant is an extra. The best convertibles are ones with high harness slots and high weight limits both rear and front facing. Here's some to look at:
Fisher Price Safe Voyage, up to 33lbs rear facing, up to 55lbs forward facing, 17" top slots. Made by Britax, without the bells and whistles at a fraction of the cost! $130
Britax Marathon/Decathalon/Boulevard: all 3 same shell, up to 33lbs rear facing, up to 65lbs front facing, 17" top slots. Decathalon and Boulevard have the infant cushioning. Britax seats have built-in lockoffs so you never have to use a locking clip again! Wide belt paths make it easier to use, too. Many seats can cut and scrape your hands when you try and install them. They sound expensive, but they last longer than most other convertibles. $269 and up
Sunshine Kids Radian65 and Radian80. Both rear face to 33lbs, front face to 65lbs/80lbs. Top slots 18". GREAT seat if it fits in your car. $199, I believe. Lasts a LONG time, saves on buying other seats.
So, if you're looking to save money, actually skip Walmart, they're seats won't hold many kids long enough because of low weight limits and low harness slots. If you've got a tiny child, it'd be ok, but for average or big kids it won't work. Kids should be harnessed AS LONG AS POSSIBLE! No 4-year-olds in boosters, please!
travel system or seperate car seat and stroller?
justjump7
I've heard not to but the travel system because it's a waste for the amount of time baby will be in the car seat part. But I've also heard it's nice to have so you don't have to wake baby up every time you get out of the car. What do you guys think? What's been your personal experience? And if you do like the travel system, which one worked best for you??
Answer
It is really completely up to your preference, but, here's my 2cents. Personally, I'd pick out an awesome stroller (since the ones that come in a travel system often aren't all that great!) b/c the stroller is the part that you will be using for the next 3-4 years. You really need to like it, and have it be quality so you don't find yourself with a busted stroller in a year. Also, you can save money by purchasing a high quality used stroller, whereas if you buy a travel system, you can't get it used b/c it is not safe to get a used car seat. You could however, get a used stroller and check its compatibility, and get a car seat new that would work with it. That's what I did.
All that said - as a single parent on a seriously limited income, I now realize I should've completely skipped the infant carrier stage. Its not a 'needed' stage in car seats, its just a convenience thing, and a recent - as in the last 15 years or so - invention to have a stay in car base and separate carrier. Here's why I think its a waste: doesn't last babies very long at all. You spend $60 and up on this carrier that is only going to last 5-8 months! And then you have to purchase a convertible car seat, and somewhere down the line a booster seat. If you skip the carrier phase, you just eliminated one seat. There is now one carrier on the market that promises to fit 99% of babies up to at least their first birthday - Graco SafeSeat1, goes to 30lbs. However, there are limitations to this awesome seat. It really will fit most kids that long, but that's a catch-22. You really going to carry your 25lbs baby in a carrier?! And, the recline can not be adjusted when its installed in the car. Newborns have to be rear facing and reclined 45 degrees. Older babies who can hold their heads up well can be 30-45 degrees, and most want to so they can see more. So your baby may come to hate the SafeSeat at some point b/c he can't sit up any straighter, but then again, maybe not. You never know. Also - b/c it is a bigger seat to last longer, it doesn't always fit well in smaller vehicles. Try before you buy. And - it costs significantly mroe than its regular weight (22lbs) counterparts, at least double. My son was a BIG baby (still is a BIG kid!) and outgrew his carrier at 4 months. And, after baby gets above 10lbs or so, they are a pain in the butt to carry - quite awkward. So its not as convenient as it may at first seem. And some of the 'convenient' ways people use them aren't good.
Carriers should NEVER be placed on grocery carts. It makes the carts unstable and they can tip over, seriously injuring the baby. Also, not all car seats fit all carts, and they don't lock on, they're just sitting there, posing an obvious threat. And some of the carts are shaped or sized in a way that it puts the carrier at an unsafe/uncomfortable angle for the baby. I've seen babies laying in carriers on carts with their head lower than their feet - not a good idea for digestion or spit up.
The American Academy of Pediatrics says Parents and caregivers should never Place an infant carrier on top of the shopping cart. "Many infant-only car safety seats lock into shopping carts, and many stores have shopping carts with built-in infant seats. This may seem safe, but thousands of children are hurt every year from falling out of shopping carts or from the carts tipping over. Instead of placing your baby's car safety seat on the cart, consider using a stroller or front pack while shopping with your baby. "
Also, we are seeing rampant developmental delays becuase babies are in these carriers (and swings, and bouncy seats...) so much. Look around everywhere you go and instead of holding their babies, people have them in these carriers. When on their back and harnessed (and any time a child is in a carrier, he needs to be harnessed, even though its not in a car!) they can not work the muscles they need to develop to crawl, sit up, and walk. In the manuals for these carriers, it even says specifically 'for use in cars and strollers only'! But we all seem to miss that part.
So I highly recommend skipping the carrier phase. I think they are more a pain than a blessing, and a wasted of money if you don't have a lot to throw around. Instead, get a convertible car seat that will fit a newborn (more on that later) and a sling, pouch, or wrap. Not one of those silly snugli or infantino carriers, but something like a ringsling, moby, or maya wrap. Wearing your baby gives everybody what they need. Babies get much needed closeness to mom (or dad, or anyone else for that matter!) and you get your hands free to do what you need to do, as well as you can even breastfeed in one! They offer many different positions to use them in, too, and go higher than carrier car seat weights (20-22lbs). Most go to at least 35lbs, so you will get much more use out of it for your money.
OK - so if you choose to skip the carrier phase, be careful about the convertible car seat you choose, b/c not all will fit newborns well. You want it to have low bottom slots.
Perfect options:
The Evenflo Triumph Advance (not the original Triumph, make sure it says Advance) is a great seat. $150 version at Babies R Us has padding similar to Britax seats, top slots of 17", harnesses to 35lbs rear facing, and 50lbs forward facing. $120 Walmart version just has little less plush padding. Wide open belt path, easy to install, though it doesn't have built in lockoffs. The harness adjusts at the front of the car seat, you don't have to take the car seat out of the car just to raise/lower the straps. It's one of only 2 seats that does this (The Britax Boulevard is the other, I believE), and it has infinite harness adjustment so the harness always fits perfectly until its outgrown. No more tugging straps to tighten them either. You tighten and loosen the harness using knobs on the side of the seat. As a major bonus, it can be used in a recline position even in forward facing mode. Awesome for kids who still sleep in the car. I LOVE THIS SEAT! LOL My son, who is too big for every other car seat at Walmart has the same amount of room in this as the Britax Marathon.
Cosco Scenera - $50 at Walmart/Kmart/Target. Great seat for the price. Goes up to 35lbs rear facing, 40lbs forward facing. Great rear facing seat, but is outgrown very quickly forward facing b/c of short top slots and short shell. You'll still get you're $50 worth out of it, though, as it will last most kids to at least 2 years, quadruple the amount of time of an infant seat!
As you're shopping, remember these rules about seats:
1)the BEST seat is the one that fits your child, fits your car, and will be used correctly 100% of the time. (This is why convenience features DO make a difference and ARE worth the money! If its easy to use, you're more likely to use it correctly.
2)Children should stay rear facing AS LNOG AS POSSIBLE!!!! The 20lbs/1 year rule is outdated and provides a bare minimum for turning kids forward facing. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration both recommend keeping kids rear facing as long as possible, up to the limits of their seat, preferably until at least 2 years of age. For good reason: A forward-facing child under 2 years old is 4 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a crash than a rear-facing child of the same age. A child's vertabrae do not fully fuse until 3-6 years old, before then, she is at great risk for internal decapitation. The spinal column can stretch up to 2 inches in a crash BUT the spinal cord can only stretch up to 1/4 inch before it snaps and baby is gone. In other countries, rear facing 2 - 3 - 4 year olds is standard, they understand that its safer. Here, we turn them as soon as we get to, seeing it as a right of passage thing or something. Ridiculous. Most convertible seats have a 30lbs rear facing limit, Cosco/Dorel/Safety1st/Eddie Bauer seats rear face to 35lbs, Britax rear faces to 33lbs.
3)Once you do turn them forward facing, they need to stay in a 5 point harness as long as possible. 4 years/40lbs is the minimum for riding in a booster, and most 4 year olds have no business using one yet. If they can't sit upright for an entire trip, they need the harness of a car seat still. And, even if they do sit properly, a 5 point harness is safer, so you want to keep them in one as long as possible. This is important to consider b/c most car seats only forward face to 40lbs. My son just turned 3, and is in the 95th% for height and weight - 40" tall and weighs 41lbs. He outgrew the 40lbs seats shortly after his 2nd birthday. It was a total waste of money. He now has a Britax Marathon, which goes to 65lbs, and will be able to fit it for some time yet. If I'd have bought it when he was born, I could have had one car seat this whole time instead of the 3 I wasted money on. They are more expensive for many reasons, this is one.
It is really completely up to your preference, but, here's my 2cents. Personally, I'd pick out an awesome stroller (since the ones that come in a travel system often aren't all that great!) b/c the stroller is the part that you will be using for the next 3-4 years. You really need to like it, and have it be quality so you don't find yourself with a busted stroller in a year. Also, you can save money by purchasing a high quality used stroller, whereas if you buy a travel system, you can't get it used b/c it is not safe to get a used car seat. You could however, get a used stroller and check its compatibility, and get a car seat new that would work with it. That's what I did.
All that said - as a single parent on a seriously limited income, I now realize I should've completely skipped the infant carrier stage. Its not a 'needed' stage in car seats, its just a convenience thing, and a recent - as in the last 15 years or so - invention to have a stay in car base and separate carrier. Here's why I think its a waste: doesn't last babies very long at all. You spend $60 and up on this carrier that is only going to last 5-8 months! And then you have to purchase a convertible car seat, and somewhere down the line a booster seat. If you skip the carrier phase, you just eliminated one seat. There is now one carrier on the market that promises to fit 99% of babies up to at least their first birthday - Graco SafeSeat1, goes to 30lbs. However, there are limitations to this awesome seat. It really will fit most kids that long, but that's a catch-22. You really going to carry your 25lbs baby in a carrier?! And, the recline can not be adjusted when its installed in the car. Newborns have to be rear facing and reclined 45 degrees. Older babies who can hold their heads up well can be 30-45 degrees, and most want to so they can see more. So your baby may come to hate the SafeSeat at some point b/c he can't sit up any straighter, but then again, maybe not. You never know. Also - b/c it is a bigger seat to last longer, it doesn't always fit well in smaller vehicles. Try before you buy. And - it costs significantly mroe than its regular weight (22lbs) counterparts, at least double. My son was a BIG baby (still is a BIG kid!) and outgrew his carrier at 4 months. And, after baby gets above 10lbs or so, they are a pain in the butt to carry - quite awkward. So its not as convenient as it may at first seem. And some of the 'convenient' ways people use them aren't good.
Carriers should NEVER be placed on grocery carts. It makes the carts unstable and they can tip over, seriously injuring the baby. Also, not all car seats fit all carts, and they don't lock on, they're just sitting there, posing an obvious threat. And some of the carts are shaped or sized in a way that it puts the carrier at an unsafe/uncomfortable angle for the baby. I've seen babies laying in carriers on carts with their head lower than their feet - not a good idea for digestion or spit up.
The American Academy of Pediatrics says Parents and caregivers should never Place an infant carrier on top of the shopping cart. "Many infant-only car safety seats lock into shopping carts, and many stores have shopping carts with built-in infant seats. This may seem safe, but thousands of children are hurt every year from falling out of shopping carts or from the carts tipping over. Instead of placing your baby's car safety seat on the cart, consider using a stroller or front pack while shopping with your baby. "
Also, we are seeing rampant developmental delays becuase babies are in these carriers (and swings, and bouncy seats...) so much. Look around everywhere you go and instead of holding their babies, people have them in these carriers. When on their back and harnessed (and any time a child is in a carrier, he needs to be harnessed, even though its not in a car!) they can not work the muscles they need to develop to crawl, sit up, and walk. In the manuals for these carriers, it even says specifically 'for use in cars and strollers only'! But we all seem to miss that part.
So I highly recommend skipping the carrier phase. I think they are more a pain than a blessing, and a wasted of money if you don't have a lot to throw around. Instead, get a convertible car seat that will fit a newborn (more on that later) and a sling, pouch, or wrap. Not one of those silly snugli or infantino carriers, but something like a ringsling, moby, or maya wrap. Wearing your baby gives everybody what they need. Babies get much needed closeness to mom (or dad, or anyone else for that matter!) and you get your hands free to do what you need to do, as well as you can even breastfeed in one! They offer many different positions to use them in, too, and go higher than carrier car seat weights (20-22lbs). Most go to at least 35lbs, so you will get much more use out of it for your money.
OK - so if you choose to skip the carrier phase, be careful about the convertible car seat you choose, b/c not all will fit newborns well. You want it to have low bottom slots.
Perfect options:
The Evenflo Triumph Advance (not the original Triumph, make sure it says Advance) is a great seat. $150 version at Babies R Us has padding similar to Britax seats, top slots of 17", harnesses to 35lbs rear facing, and 50lbs forward facing. $120 Walmart version just has little less plush padding. Wide open belt path, easy to install, though it doesn't have built in lockoffs. The harness adjusts at the front of the car seat, you don't have to take the car seat out of the car just to raise/lower the straps. It's one of only 2 seats that does this (The Britax Boulevard is the other, I believE), and it has infinite harness adjustment so the harness always fits perfectly until its outgrown. No more tugging straps to tighten them either. You tighten and loosen the harness using knobs on the side of the seat. As a major bonus, it can be used in a recline position even in forward facing mode. Awesome for kids who still sleep in the car. I LOVE THIS SEAT! LOL My son, who is too big for every other car seat at Walmart has the same amount of room in this as the Britax Marathon.
Cosco Scenera - $50 at Walmart/Kmart/Target. Great seat for the price. Goes up to 35lbs rear facing, 40lbs forward facing. Great rear facing seat, but is outgrown very quickly forward facing b/c of short top slots and short shell. You'll still get you're $50 worth out of it, though, as it will last most kids to at least 2 years, quadruple the amount of time of an infant seat!
As you're shopping, remember these rules about seats:
1)the BEST seat is the one that fits your child, fits your car, and will be used correctly 100% of the time. (This is why convenience features DO make a difference and ARE worth the money! If its easy to use, you're more likely to use it correctly.
2)Children should stay rear facing AS LNOG AS POSSIBLE!!!! The 20lbs/1 year rule is outdated and provides a bare minimum for turning kids forward facing. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration both recommend keeping kids rear facing as long as possible, up to the limits of their seat, preferably until at least 2 years of age. For good reason: A forward-facing child under 2 years old is 4 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a crash than a rear-facing child of the same age. A child's vertabrae do not fully fuse until 3-6 years old, before then, she is at great risk for internal decapitation. The spinal column can stretch up to 2 inches in a crash BUT the spinal cord can only stretch up to 1/4 inch before it snaps and baby is gone. In other countries, rear facing 2 - 3 - 4 year olds is standard, they understand that its safer. Here, we turn them as soon as we get to, seeing it as a right of passage thing or something. Ridiculous. Most convertible seats have a 30lbs rear facing limit, Cosco/Dorel/Safety1st/Eddie Bauer seats rear face to 35lbs, Britax rear faces to 33lbs.
3)Once you do turn them forward facing, they need to stay in a 5 point harness as long as possible. 4 years/40lbs is the minimum for riding in a booster, and most 4 year olds have no business using one yet. If they can't sit upright for an entire trip, they need the harness of a car seat still. And, even if they do sit properly, a 5 point harness is safer, so you want to keep them in one as long as possible. This is important to consider b/c most car seats only forward face to 40lbs. My son just turned 3, and is in the 95th% for height and weight - 40" tall and weighs 41lbs. He outgrew the 40lbs seats shortly after his 2nd birthday. It was a total waste of money. He now has a Britax Marathon, which goes to 65lbs, and will be able to fit it for some time yet. If I'd have bought it when he was born, I could have had one car seat this whole time instead of the 3 I wasted money on. They are more expensive for many reasons, this is one.
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